The Threat to HULU and Free TV online

Here we are again - Time Warner & Comcast trying to dig in by charging for "premium" online content. There is also an article in the Wall Street Journal about this. Thanks to Tom H. for pointing this out to us!

Click here for the Wall Street Journal Article

Click here for the full Wired article via CNN , or read below

(WIRED) -- Two cable powerhouses have announced an ambitious pilot program that aims to convince their customers that, actually, TV on the web should not be free.

Jeffrey Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner, speaks at the NCTA conference in Washington.

With a service called TV Everywhere, Comcast and Time Warner will give cable subscribers access to "premium" television content via broadband, and later cellphone connections.

To begin with, 5,000 Comcast subscribers will begin testing the system next month, giving them access to Time Warner's TBS and TNT channels on their computers, and the same channels' video-on-demand catalogs on their cable boxes.

If you made peace long ago with the idea of paying a monthly cable bill, this probably sounds great. It means watching your existing subscription on new screens without paying additional fees or buying more hardware. (Of course, as consumers adopt TV Everywhere, they can probably expect price increases.)

But if you prefer to watch your television for free on ad-supported sites like Hulu while paying only for the internet connection that delivers it, you could be in for a rude awakening. TV Everywhere represents an alternative -- and possible threat -- to the popular Hulu model.

If the pilot program impresses the group -- and proves to other networks that its user-authentication system is secure -- Comcast and Time Warner expect the other television programmers, ISPs and mobile providers to join, giving all cable subscribers a way to watch the content they pay for on their televisions using any broadband-connected computer or authenticated cellphone.

Already "at least 92 percent of Americans qualify to watch this for free online," according to Jeff Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner.

For these subscribers, TV Everywhere represents a potential win. The only question is whether they will keep paying for the old cable subscription model as their viewing habits shift online.

There's nothing to stop television networks from putting their content on both Hulu and TV Everywhere, because TV Everywhere's contract will be non-exclusive, according to Bewkes. However, given the choice between Hulu and TV Everywhere, television programmers have an incentive to go with the latter.

Only the TV Everywhere model promises to port yesterday's lucrative business model onto today's platforms. And that, according to some critics, is exactly the problem.

"[TV Everywhere] raises substantial anti-competitive issues by restricting the availability of programming to the favored distribution methods," said Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of the public interest group Public Knowledge. "Under the TV Everywhere plan, no other program distributors would be able to emerge, and no consumers will be able to 'cut the cord' because they find what they want online. As a result, consumers will be the losers.

"In addition, we are concerned that this program violates the open nature of the internet. By adding this additional toll lane, Comcast and Time Warner want to create their own 'managed channel' within the internet and turn the internet into their own private cable channel."

So, what about Hulu? Will its deals fall through given this new option?

"There will be some part [of Time Warner's content] that will be out there [on Hulu], said Bewkes."Short-form content, I think, will continue to be available -- promotional content will continue to be available."

However, only cable subscribers will be able to access other content online -- through officially licensed avenues, anyway.

Bewkes added that some other television programmers have avoided Hulu "for security concerns and because they didn't like the model," but that they will give TV Everywhere a chance.

"Consumers vote every single month with their pocketbook," he added. "They don't have to subscribe to cable. They don't have to pay for these services, yet they do. The number of people paying for subscription television has gone up and up and up every single quarter that we've been in the business."

New Plug Ins for Plex

Click here for the official link, or read below for more Plex Plugin Goodness:

It’s a Tuesday night, you’re bored, the North Koreans aren’t launching missiles at your state, and you’re media hungry. Well, you’re in luck. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our brilliant team of plug-in developers, we have a few more plug-ins to offer you. (Actually, I think 14 counts as more than a few.) Again, many thanks to Andreas W. for the highly skilled graphic design work.

First up is Picasa Web, written by Ian Gratton. Browse your private online library or your friends’ libraries, or search for photos.

Have you ever wanted to listen to radio stations on Shoutcast with Plex and been frustrated with the poor user interface? Just install the new Shoutcast plug-in, set your preferences (minimum bit-rate, sort order), and browse through thousands of streams.

Next up, written by our own Scott, Miro is a plug-in that taps the Miro Directory, an open content directory which offers over 6,000+ internet TV shows and video podcasts. Organized by genre or language, there is something for everyone in here (including a fair number of sheep, apparently).

Forum user beowulfe was kind enough to write a few plug-ins guaranteed to please your better looking half. Sure, they might complain when you watch 24 or don’t take the garbage out, but sit them in front of these plug-ins and you’ll likely be able to sneak off with your mates for a beer.

First up is HGTV for all your home design, decorating, home improvement or landscaping projects.

Next up is The Food Network, which has lots of content including Ace of Cakes, Good Eats, 30 Minute Meals and Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

MakingOf.com, written by the prolific Ryan McNally, is a behind-the-scenes Web portal that provides an intimate, fresh look into the process of making a movie by the insiders themselves. Lots of cool content here.

“RTL NOW” ist die Marke für zeitsouveräne TV-Nutzung von RTL-Formaten. Seit Januar 2007 können Sie auf dem Video-Abruf-Portal RTLNOW.de einen großen Teil des RTL-Programms für sieben Tage nach Ausstrahlung kostenlos per Stream ansehen. Highlights lassen sich schon unmittelbar nach der TV-Ausstrahlung abspielen.

Author: Robert Nio

Ask A Ninja is an award-winning series of comedy videos about the image of ninja in popular culture. Watch the latest episode or any past episodes in Plex.

Elk jaar staat Utrecht tien dagen in het teken van de Nederlandse film. Dan vindt het Nederlands Film Festival plaats dat gericht is op de Nederlandse cinema in al zijn facetten. Bekijk hier de vodcast en andere online video’s van het festival (o.a. trailers, interviews en verslagen vanaf het festivalterrein).

Author: Sander Spies

The Adventures of Dr. McNinja, also by Ryan McNally, is a webcomic written and drawn by Chris Hastings and inked by Kent Archer. Published three times a week on its own website, it features the fictional adventures of a character named Dr. McNinja, a thirty-five-year-old doctor who also happens to be a ninja.

Am Samstag, dem 20. September 2003, um 13 Uhr ging die wöchentliche Computersendung c’t magazin im hessen fernsehen erstmals auf Sendung. Serviceorientiert und unterhaltsam berichtet c’t magazin jeweils dreißig Minuten lang über die ganz alltäglichen Probleme beim Umgang mit Computern, Handys und dem Internet. Woche für Woche nimmt die von Mathias Münch moderierte Magazinsendung neue Produkte ebenso unter die Lupe wie die Qualität von Dienstleistungen.

Author: Robert Nio

8-Bit Theater, written by Ryan McNally, is a comic based on the video game Final Fantasy I, following the four Light Warriors in their quest to vanquish the King of Demons, Chaos.

Freecaster.tv, written by Jonny Wrap, is the premier source of free high quality extreme sports videos. Watch LIVE webcast, streaming, replays and on-demand best sports video.

GameSpy, also by Ryan McNally, is all about video games. You can find walkthroughs and reviews of games for the PC, XBox, and numerous other platforms.

One last note: The plug-in authors should check the released versions, as they may include minor changes or fixes.

You've heard of Lodgenet, right?

I know, I did the same thing: "Lodgenet....Lodgenet....how do I know that name?!" - ok, so think back to the last time you were in a hotel, and you turned on the TV - that's it - those wacky people which offer you all that amazing programing and games - that's lodgenet. Well, if you think the mac mini home theater is just for us cutting edge types - not anymore - Read this post from our friends over at 123macmini.com

LodgeNet today announced a new Mac mini-based IPTV+ system designed for the hotel industry. According to the company, this solution presents hoteliers with an entirely new set of capabilities to create compelling in-room interactive experiences, and provides an exceptional new opportunity to communicate brand messages to their guests, deliver a broad range of on-demand entertainment, present hotel information, and even support the sale of hotel products and services through in-room technology. The solution also supports the delivery of television and web-based entertainment, and provides a platform for the development of next-generation interactive applications.

The company said they designed this IPTV+ solution to leverage Apple's Core Animation Technology as well as the processing power of the new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processer. This enables LodgeNet IPTV+ to provide compelling new user experiences including robust animated effects and extensive image and video layering features. Also, by choosing the new Mac mini as part of its solution, LodgeNet is offering its customers an environmentally friendly solution for in-room processing that meets the EPA's new Energy Start 5.0 specification, and which features an energy-saving function that consumes less than 13 watts in idle mode.

LodgeNet will be showcasing the product at HITEC 2009 in Anaheim, California from June 23rd to the 25th.

NAIM

Looking for a higher end hifi system? Consider Naim, another british great quality audio products. All Naim product lines give you the ability to upgrade as you move on with your hifi needs. Upgrading separate power supply and power amplifiers at different output will gives you different hearing experience.

Check out Naim product now at our store. Call us or email us for a product audition.


Naim CDX-2









Naim NAC 282 Pre-Amp









Naim XPS Power Supply









Naim NAP 300 Power-Amp








Match it with a pair of ProAc speakers to unleash the performance within.

Proac Loudspeakers

PROAC Loudspeakers








The ProAc Studio 140 is the ideal speakers for movies as well as hifi. It gives you the dynamic sound when match with the right amplifiers. Don't turn down by its look. Schedule for an audition now and you will hear what you have been missing all these while.

New Apps for Plex, including MSNBC

Click here for the official post, or read below :)

New Plug-in Releases

June 16th, 2009 | Category: Plug-ins | Author: iordonez

Things have been quiet on the blog recently, but behind the scenes we’re busy working on some exciting new features, and Plex/Nine is beginning to take shape.

In the meantime, our plug-in developer community has been doing some absolutely amazing work. We’ve had such a deluge of new plug-ins that we’ve revamped our workflow and created a Lighthouse project to manage things better. Huge props to Ryan McNally, Gordon, Ian, Robert, Nikolas, Rick, Scott, and all the others that make the plug-in space so rich and exciting.

Isaac has been kind enough to take on the role of release manager and has been working tirelessly, coordinating the efforts of the plug-in developers, framework developers, and designers. Not to mention he’s written some new plug-ins!

Additionally, the very skilled Andreas W. (tassitassi on the forums) has joined us and is contributing a huge amount of artwork and icon design for new plug-ins (and improving existing art). This guy is incredibly talented!

Onto the new plugins; first up is MSNBC, written by Isaac. This is one that can certainly help users in “cutting the cable”. Use it to stay current with daily news updates in health, entertainment, business, science, technology and sports video.

Hot on the heels of MSNBC is an update to our CNN plugin (also by Isaac, who’s rapidly becoming a Python god) that allows you to watch live CNN news streams. While the streams are generally only available Monday-Friday 7AM-8PM PST I think this is going to fill a huge gap currently missing in the content tree. The only thing that would make it better is if we could get James Earl Jones to say “This…is Plex”.

Next up, and written by Gordon Johnston, Pro at Cooking is a comedic cooking show hosted by Dave Lee, also known by his Chinese name Dawei. Each episode features a female assistant, who tends to be a victim of chauvinism (in the name of humor). The series is filmed in Toronto.

One note: Isaac made the Eggplant Parmesan for his wife and he can’t stop talking about it.

Also written by Gordon Johnston, Interview Project by David Lynch is a neat site which features a road trip where people are interviewed across the country. Really cool idea, and really cool content.

Written by Jdevoo, The Web Gallery of Art is a virtual museum and database of European painting and sculpture of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Realism periods (1100-1850), containing over 21,300 reproductions. Never took art history in college? Crack open a beer and stare at some art. Use it to impress a date.

Next up, written by the prolific Gordon Johnston, the BBC Podcasts plugin allows access to BBC podcasts on a variety of topics, and is accessible outside of the UK.

Last up is an update to The White House plugin which adds support for much more video content and also adds a Photos section with the latest photos from the White House’s flickr feed. Rumor has it that Obama relaxes at the end of the day in front of Plex.

One last note: The plug-in authors should check the released versions, as they may include minor changes or fixes.

Denon Year 2010 AV Receivers are here.

Denon Year 2010 AV Receivers are here. There are 4 new models coming soon (stock available mid July 2009). Pre-order yours today.

Available models are as followed:

All the following models supports DTS-HD, Dobly TrueHD, video upconversion to 1080p and Audyssey.



Denon AVR-1610

















Denon AVR-1910

















Denon AVR-2310











Denon AVR-4310

Building A Great Home Theater

You can easily spend a fortune on creating a home theater of your choice and you might be very contented with your investment, provided your family watches the homes theatre very often. On the other hand, you can also build an excellent set at a cheaper rate provided you are ready to spare some time and put in some effort to explore the market and surf on the web to get hold of the appropriate product at an appropriate price. Ultimately, the key factor that influences the building of any type of home theatre is the availability of resources.

Frankly speaking, majority of us can spend only up to ten thousand dollars to make a home theatre of our desire. A large number of us have to cut down the expenses and save so that we can spend a few thousand dollars on our dream home theatre. But, surprisingly, you can get an excellent home theatre of your choice with a couple of thousands of dollar, provided you do a market study about the components and the price and spend the money judiciously on the gadget.
It is advisable that you build a home theatre over a period of time, by buying one part at a time. By building up your system slowly but constantly you can spend your budget in installments.
This helps you spend more time to garner the monetary fund that is needed to buy the best component available for your system. On the other hand, if you make a hasty purchase you will either end up buying everything or buying nothing. Remember, when you buy the parts separately be caution, because each part should be in tune with the system. Especially, this is true about the speakers, so I would strongly recommend that you buy the speaker with the set itself.
The first purchase that you should make is that of the television, because it is the most central factor around which revolves the functions of other components. Nowadays, television with high definition is becoming quite prevalent, and their performance is much better compared to that of the common varieties that are available in the market today. If your funds allow then I would advise you to buy this high quality televisions. And, when you have made this key purchase you can start hunting for the other components to build up your system.
Your second purchase, I would suggest should be an amplifier or a receiver. It is the one unifying piece that coordinates the functions of all the components. It is practically unthinkable to have a home theatre without a first-rate receiver. The receiver functions as a director and controller of the sounds and pictures on the home theatre. You should spend lavishly on an amplifier because this is the most essential part which gives the theatre effect to the system. Another inescapable component is the speaker. The effective sound system is one of the most attractive experiences in a theatre. Without an excellent speaker you cannot completely enjoy the theatre effect at home. A superb sound system will guarantee you the 'movie quality' sound that is so important for an excited movie goer, at the same you will become the talk of the neighborhood, envied for owning such an excellent surround sound system. I would suggest that you buy speakers as a set so that they go well together with one another.
And at last, you purchase comes to an end with a DVD player. It is left to you to decide whether you need a high quality DVD player or a cheaper one. Preferably, you should go for high definition disks only if you have a high resolution Television. Buy a high quality disk player only when your set is upgraded with the latest technology, so that your surround sound system goes in tune with the costly DVD player. The advantage of buying the parts separately is that you can keep on upgrading the system so that you can always own the most high-tech home theatre available in the market.
Selecting The Right Speakers Almost all home theater systems and sound surround speakers include the following types:
* Front left and right speakers
* Center channel speaker
* Surround speakers
* Subwoofer
These speakers work together to create the surround sound experience of a movie theater in your living room. While there are many brands and models that do a great job reproducing sound, you will want to be sure that the various speakers in your home theater system work well together as a cohesive unit. Check out what each speaker's job is, and some of the things to consider before buying.
These speakers work to deliver spectacular directional effects, like a locomotive rushing by, or a bullet zinging past. They really help put you smack dab in the center of the action. Although a 5.1-channel surround sound system, with only one pair of surround sound speakers, is the most common setup, most newer home theater receivers can power more than a single pair of surround speakers - and there are surround sound formats to match. Today, many people buy one or two additional speakers to use as "back surrounds" in a 6.1- or 7.1-channel system.
The best Specifications to look for:
* Speaker type. Ideally, your surround sound speakers should have the same performance capability as your front left and right speakers, but that's not always realistic when you consider room size and space. Most people use either bookshelf or satellite speakers (when the system also has a subwoofer) for their surrounds. Both bookshelf and satellite speakers may require stand placement or wall mounting.
* Dipole/bipole capability. Some higher-end surround sound speakers offer a dipole/bipole switch (sometimes referred to as a "Solid/Diffuse" switch). These speakers feature two high-frequency drivers that either fire in phase (bipole) or out of phase (dipole). Dipole/bipole speakers take advantage of reflected sound to create a wide sound field, and they provide greater speaker placement flexibility.
* Placement. Correct surround sound speaker placement results in a very realistic three-dimensional sound field; incorrect surround speaker placement can leave people asking, "Are our surrounds even on?" Check our speaker placement guide and consider where you'll put your surrounds and whether they'll need to be stand-mounted, wall-mounted, or even in-wall or in-ceiling models.
* Voice-matching. Again, for the most realistic listening experience, it helps if your surround speakers are from the same "family" or series as your main and center channel speakers, and have similar tonal characteristics.
Powered subwoofer
If you are assembling a home theater, plan on including a powered subwoofer. Many Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks provide a dedicated channel of deep bass (sometimes known as low frequency effects, or LFE). This bass is what makes the entire soundtrack feel larger, fuller, and more lifelike - and gives special effects like thunder or explosions their window-rattling punch.
Since most speakers can't deliver that level of bass on their own, a subwoofer is needed to ensure that your home theater system delivers crucial low-frequency impact. A subwoofer is also a wonderful way to enrich music listening - it can round out all types of music, from classical to jazz to rock to R&B.
What to look for:
* Power. If you have a large room (or if you just crave that serious bass content) then you should look for a sub with more watts in the built-in amp. Plus, as a general rule, the larger the driver, the deeper the bass - so go for a sub with a big 10" or 12" woofer cone (or a multi-woofer sub) for serious bass response.
* Placement. Low-frequency sound waves are omni-directional, so you have a great deal of flexibility when it comes to subwoofer placement. If you have a spot in your room picked out, consider the dimensions of the sub's cabinet to make sure it will fit. And remember that placing your sub near a wall, or, even better, in a corner, can increase bass impact noticeably.
*Video-shielding. If you are planning to place your subwoofer anywhere near a tube TV, be certain to get a video-shielded sub.
These above guides should help you decide what pair of sound surround speaker are good for your home theater system when you finally decide to join the big league of home theater owners.

Basic Components For A Home Theater

A lot of people shy away form the idea of buying a home theater because while purchasing the components they are unable to decide on the right product. Most people are in doubt about the different parts of a Home theater or they are not sure about what components are required to make an electrifying and effective home theatre. Because of these reasons people either do not waster their time looking into the various varieties and version of this fantastic product or altogether they give up the idea of purchasing a Home Theatre.
You may belong to this confused

lot who are not competent in selecting the individual parts of a home theatre, because you are unaware of the parts and their operations. It is hoped that by the time you complete reading this article, you would have better comprehensions about the components. The most basic thing is that there are different grades of Home Theaters. The components that are mentioned in the following paragraphs are the most basic ones, which give brilliant performance. However, they are not the only components that go into the making of a home theater.
Television
When you put up a home Theater for your family, the most fundamental thing that you need is Television. It might sound like I am going too much into the basics, but you know until now I have not found a Home theater which includes a Television. This is largely because, the most personal decision that one has to make while choosing a Home Theater is the type and size of the screen. Chiefly, there are three types of televisions available in the market today: The front projector, the rear projector and the plasma. And, within each type there are various models
with small differences in the make and ranged between fairly priced to very expensive. Most owner's of a Home Theater spend a great amount of their time making this crucial decision, and eventually this decision influences the choice of other components which effects features like clarity, sharpness, distinctness etc.
Receiver
Another principal component is the receiver. Probably, you have some kind of recorders or DVD players as an essential constituent of the system. You might also have a Tivo, a cable box, a satellite and mostly some kind of speakers for the system. All these devices are plugged into a receiver- to put it in simple words, the receiver can be said to be the coordinator which regulates the devices. I would advice that you spend the best part of your budget on this principal Home theater component.
Speaker Sound flows through the speaker. I think one of the most important advantage of a home theater is that you virtually get a theater effect at you home, where you can do things you are not able to do in a theater (like lying under a blanket or sitting with feet's up on your couch).
There are different types of speakers available. For some buying a speaker is a very personal affair while others are ready to buy anything available in the market. To make it easier to select, the speaker can also be purchase as part of the kit.
Recorder/DVD player To end with, you have to decide on a recorder or DVD player. If you are very particular about clarity, there are a variety of choices. If the most modern high performing DVD is not compatible with your television, you can go for a cheaper, old version of the DVD player, till you come across an advanced version. The above mentioned devices are wonderful to begin with.
Later, you can build on it using the most modern products. Keep on upgrading the product and enjoy the state-of-the-art theater effect without leaving the comforts of your home.

Boin Boing Video now available for Plex

Not sure what Boing Boing is, but, it is now available

Click here for the official post, or read below:

We were super excited when Xeni Jardin of Boing Boing contacted us to see if we could provide access through Plex to their excellent video site. An hour and a couple of emails later, we have an easy and fun way to browse Boing Boing Video while sitting on your couch.

For those of you new to Plex, you can download the latest version from here. After you’ve installed, start Plex and head to the App Store:

Since Boing Boing Video is one of our featured plug-ins, you can find it in the Featured Section. Simple select the plug-in to install it.

Once you’ve installed the plug-in, you can find it in the Videos section off the main menu. Sit back, open up a beverage of your choice, and watch some great content.

Are You Ready For Surround Sound?

Would you like to have surround sound in your homes?
Watching movie in a theater might be enjoyable, but may be costly. And the experience might also be irritating, if the crowd that you are sitting with is unruly and boisterous. When you go to a theatre you spend quite a good amount of money, to relax, and to be at peace. But, the whole fun is spoiled

when people sitting behind talks or their mobile phone starts ringing. To my mind, when one goes to a cinema either the cell phone must be switched off or put on silent mode or, one should better watch the movies when it is available on cassette.
Why there should be a surround system in the house?
Thanks to surround sound technology, today people prefer to watch cinema at home without leaving the comforts of the house, and completely at peace with oneself. Instead of wasting their precious time and hard earned money by going to a theater, people turn their homes into theater. Surround sound serves two purposes, it makes movie watching a happier experience and if you are not an avid movie watcher, it amplifies the experience of watching television.
Where to get the know-how about of the surround sound?
There is every chance that you will like the first kit that you bump into. But hurry causes worry; take your own time to make the purchase. Buy at leisure giving more time before taking the decision. You can do some ground research before doing the shopping. Remember, it is an electronic good which is purchased for a life time and not a Fast moving consumable good.
Expert opinion is very important. In today's world you can get a whole lot of information on surround sound from the internet. Besides, you can even make a purchase from online Shoppe's.
Money should not be the limiting factor when you make such a valuable purchase. First, get hold of the surround sound system of your dreams and then find the means to fulfill your dreams.

How to: A Car Stereo Installation Guide

If you have ever looked into buying a new car stereo system, you probably realize that the costs of having it professionally installed can almost double the cost of your new system. But there is always the other option: do it yourself. While a car stereo installation can be complicated, there is nothing in

particular that prevents you from doing it yourself, as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort to learn how before you diving into the project. Not only can you learn a lot, but there is always a sense of satisfaction when you fire it up for the first time, knowing you did it all yourself.
Patience and caution are paramount here. Some car stereo equipment is quite expensive, not to mention the price of your car to begin with! So be careful, proceed slowly, and if you have doubts, find out the answer to whatever is bothering you before you continue. Not taking it slow and carefully can lead to a botched install or even broken equipment or a damaged vehicle.
Beginners are advised to keep it simple the first time around. Don't try to install a full car theater system with LCD displays and DVD players or video games for your first installation. Start with the head unit. This is both the easiest and the most critical thing to get right the first time. Often the wiring harness that plugs into your factory stereo will need an adapter to get the correct electrical connections to the power and speaker system already in your car. And being able to reuse your factory wiring makes things much easier down the road when replacing the factory speakers. Don't just cut the harness off! Use an adapter. If you ever want to replace the head unit again, things will be much easier if you can simply unplug the old adapter and replace it with a new one for the new head unit.
The head unit will also probably require an adapter kit of some kind to fit properly in the factory dash hole. Most factory systems are either custom or what is called "Double DIN", whereas most aftermarket head units are single DIN form factor. Sometimes, filing away parts of the trim surrounding the mounting area will be needed. Do some test fits before you bolt everything down.
Speakers are a very important part of any quality audio system. While you may be able to get sound from your factory speakers with that new head unit, replacing those factory speakers with high quality aftermarket ones can make a huge difference in the quality of your sound.
For your first speaker installations, you should try to replace the speakers in the factory mounting holes. This is a fairly simple procedure, but can require removing interior panels to access the speaker mounting locations. This method is advantageous because you can use the existing brackets and wiring.
More complicated is mounting speakers in locations that didn't originally have speakers, or putting larger speakers in existing mounting locations. This will often require metalworking and building boxes and baffles to accommodate the new speakers. But if you don't have any factory speakers, or they are in bad locations, this may be your only option. Just be careful, and if the project requires a lot of reshaping of the cars metal locations, you should consider having it professionally done; this kind of work is best done with specific tools that most home enthusiasts don't have. such as plasma cutters and pneumatic sheet metal formers.

Speakers Play the Sound but Auto Sound Systems Make It

When building or upgrading an auto sound system, the first thing most people look into are the speakers. While speakers do play a very large role in the overall sound of your system, there are many other things that must be taken into consideration if you are going to avoid "over-speakering". It's not necessary

with modern technology and enclosures to take your entire trunk up with giant subwoofers to get that bone shakin bass you want.
The Head Unit
Good sound starts at the source. And in the case of auto sound systems, this source is the head unit. This is the CD player in your dash that actually provides the signals that the rest of your system amplifies and plays back. You can have the best speakers and amps in the world, but if you pair that with a cheap head unit with a lousy DAC, your sound will be lousy. In fact, with good speakers and amps, any shortcomings in your head unit will become glaringly obvious; the speakers will faithfully reproduce everything fed to them, including the hiss caused by a cheap DAC and op amps.
The Amplifiers Again, the best way to get killer sound is to start at the source and work your way to the output.
After you have a good quality head unit that makes a clean audio signal, you need quality amplifiers to take this signal and push it still clean to your speakers. Cheap amps will often introduce noise into your signal, whether through lousy signal to noise ratios, or ground loop/alternator whine caused by poor internal or external grounds. Again, with good, speakers, any problems with your amplifiers will be very audible as your killer speakers faithfully reproduce every bit of the signal the amps provide - including any noise.
The Speakers
And finally, you should consider the speakers themselves. The biggest two things to remember are quality makes a huge difference, and bigger is not always better. If you listen to a lot of music with extremely fast bass hits, like techno, using 15" subwoofers will make your bass line muddy and indistinct. For this type of music, 10" or 12" is the largest subwoofer you want to push. If you listen to rap or other music with extremely low frequency and rhythmic bass hits, a 15" may be what you want. In all cases, mounting the speakers in a properly tuned bandpass enclosure will ensure the best quality sound.
The Speaker Enclosure The sound you get out of the exact same speaker/amp combination will be very different depending on the enclosure you put it in. A simple sealed enclosure will provide a fairly neutral, flat response across the frequency curve of your speaker. A properly tuned bandpass enclosure can either help make up for a deficient area in your response curve, or amplify the frequencies you really want to add punch to.
While speakers are often the first thing considered when building an auto sound system, they really should be near the last on your list. Only after you have a quality head unit and amplifiers to drive them should you worry about your speakers. Even moving your current speakers into different types of enclosures can make an enormous difference in your sound quality.

Add A DVD Player To Your Auto Sound System

Whether you are in the market for your first auto sound system, or are looking for the next upgrade to your already great one, you should consider getting a head unit with integrated DVD playback. These come in a few different varieties to fit different budgets and desires. Read on to find out more about these bits of ultra-cool tech.
Integrated Display Head Units
There are head units available that have integrated LCD panels to display both DVD video and information or cool

visualizations during audio playback. Some of these integrated panels are even touch sensitive, allowing total control of your player via the video display. The panels may either be fixed and visible at all times, or have motorized slide-out action that keeps the display hidden when not in use.
The major advantage of these types of units is they are pretty much plug and play. There is no need for the additional expense of both an external panel and the installation of it. You pay for this ease of installation and lower cost by having a (usually) much smaller display than buying one separately.
Video-Capable Head Units
These types of head units usually have an integrated DVD player, but display the video on separate LCD panels hooked up to a video output on the back of the unit. These units are somewhat cheaper than the ones with integrated displays (especially the touchscreen versions), but have the additional expense of a separate LCD panel that must be purchased and installed.
You can get much larger panels than are available on the all in one units, and can select the ones that best fit your budget and viewing preferences. Plus, these kinds of head units can drive multiple displays for the ultimate in awesomeness.
Hybrid Head Units
These types of head units have both an integrated video panel which may or may not be touch sensitive, and also provide external video outputs. These kinds of head units are the most expensive, but provide lots of flexibility in installation, display options, and control. You can easily add additional panels later on, using the integrated display in the meantime. I recommend this type of video head unit over both of the others, as it is both usable out of the box and provides the most future-proofing of all three choices in terms of expansion capabilities. Regardless of which type you choose to use, it is highly recommended that you have these installed by professionals. Mounting an LCD panel in a car and making it look good, be functional, and safe is a job best left to a professional. LCD panels are extremely easy to crack if you aren't careful installing them, and since a car is a vibration prone environment, they must
be mounted as securely as possible to avoid breaking later. And they are not cheap! Anytime you are dealing with such expensive equipment, it is best to have the installation handled by professionals who can provide a warranty. And a lot of manufacturers won't warranty your parts unless you do have them installed by a professional shop. If you are going to spend the money on a video head unit for your auto sound system, you should spend the extra to make sure that it is installed right the first time.

Pimp Up Yo’ Ride! Why You Need A Good Car Stereo System

So you've spent thousands getting your car ready for show. New paint job, tricked out
suspension, phat rims, you've got it all. But what about on the inside? A bumpin' system can be THE difference between a cool car and a truly awesome show winner.
While a killer system can make your car that much cooler, having a crap car stereo system can totally kill your

cars coolness factor. This is never good if you've already spent a lot of money
tricking out your vehicle. Even if you have something less than fantastically good looking, having that killer thump is guaranteed to make more people actually want to ride in your car. By the same token, a pathetic car stereo system can make your car have even less appeal than it does now.
So What Makes a Killer Car Stereo System?
Quality and attention to detail pretty much sums it up. You will never be able to get the best sound out of cheap parts, and they are more prone to failing (usually at the worst possible moment) than the more expensive parts. Little things, like the frequency of a crossover, your EQ settings, and small variations in speaker placement can make a huge difference in the overall sound of your car stereo system.
Listen around and see who has systems that sound good to you. If you can listen to several different systems in the same kind of car as yours, you will be able to get a much better idea of what sounds good and what doesn't. But even if you are listening to different car stereo systems in different vehicles than yours, you can still get a good idea of what brands of gear you like and which ones to avoid cause they sound like crap. Remember, whatever sounds the best to you in your car is the best for you! No one else can tell you what is sounds good, because listening is a very subjective experience.
Car stereo expos and conventions can be another good way of gaining listening experience, and you will usually be able to check out more different systems at one than you can find on the streets.
Whatever you do, unless you have a truly awesome factory car stereo system, you will want to replace that head unit and speakers. The difference, even using factory mounting locations, can be the difference between night and day. Your mids will have more punch, your highs will be clearer and brighter, and the bass will have that bone deep thump everyone loves. Adding at least one amplified subwoofer will make a huge difference as well. You just can't get the same bass out of a 7" woofer as you can out of a 12" subwoofer.
Amplifiers are the driving force behind your car stereo system. Skimping in this area is extremely dangerous, not only to your sound quality, but to your speakers as well. An underpowered or cheaply made amplifier is prone to what is known as clipping. Without getting too technical, what this does is send a large amount of direct current through your speaker, causing the speaker coil to overheat and melt. This leads to the infamous "blown speaker". Coil overheating is the single biggest cause of speaker failure. Putting too large of an amplifier on a speaker can cause the same thing to happen. Always match up your speakers' power handling ratings to the output of your amplifier. For instance, let's say you have a 4 channel amplifier that provides 1000 watts total power. That is 250 watts per channel (1000/4), so your speakers should be capable of handling that much power, or you risk blowing them out.
Having a killer car stereo system is something your can be proud of, and dramatically increases your cars coolness factor and resale value, no matter what vehicle it is installed in.

Samsung 19-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

This is a nice set for a small area, such as a kitchen or bath, or small bedroom. Picture appears excellent, depending on the source channel. It auto-tuned all of the analog & digital channels from Comcast, and filtered out the scrambled (premium) channels. The set displays guide information (channel name, program) for many of the digital channels, but not the analog channels. The included stand can be rotated to 90 degrees and used as a wall mount, or a standard VESA mount (separately purchased) may be used. Changes channels quite fast. The inputs on this tv are great with an hdmi and pc vga input over the standard inputs you'd expect. The styling is great as well. When in doubt you can use it as a computer monitor and tv for a bedroom and save the space of having both.
Samsung LN19B361 19-Inch 720p LCD HDTV details:

• 19-inch high definition TV with 720p resolution
• One HDMI, one component, and one composite video input
• Improved picture with 15,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 8ms response time and Wide Color Enhancer 2 technology
• Two 3W bottom speakers and SRS TruSurround HD for a rich surround-sound experience from two speakers
• One-year parts and labor warranty

You can get it only with $299.99 ! It will not disappointed you.

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ViewSonic 16-Inch 720p LCD HDTV

I think this is very cheap television with great picture. With the set on the counter top and looking straight at it while standing, the picture was good but it appeared faded when siting at the table about 12 feet away.the set is the right size for the kitchen, it is easy to operate.
ViewSonic N1630w 16-Inch 720p LCD HDTV details:

• Ultra-high brightness of 250-nit (typ), dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and 1360x768 optimum PC resolution
• ClearPicture™ electronics deliver clearer, crisper, sharper images
• Integrated HDTV tuner and two HDMI inputs
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Box contents include LCD TV display, power cable(s), remote control with batteries, Quick Start Quide, User Guide

ViewSonic’s high-style, high-performance N1630w 16" (15.6” viewable) widescreen HDTV/PC monitor is the perfect solution for dual purpose use in dorms, kids’ rooms, dens, kitchens and other small rooms. It features 1360x768 resolution, high brightness, 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and fast 5ms video response for crystal-clear, blur-free videos, games and movies. The high resolution and brightness also make it easy to read word processing documents, spreadsheets and other business/student applications. With support for HD signals up to 1080i, you’ll thoroughly enjoy your digital entertainment. Watch your favorite movies and TV shows and surf the Internet in amazingly crisp detail. With multiple inputs and HDMI connectivity, the N1630w is the versatile, high-performance HDTV that fits your lifestyle.

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Sharp Aquos 46-Inch

Sharp Aquos LC46D65U 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV are beutiful and elegant TV for home theater, especially in small room. Sharp Aquos LC46D65U 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV details:

• 46" HDTV LCD-TV with Full HD 1080p resolution
• 10,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• 5 HDMI¿ inputs (v1.3 with Deep Color)
• PC Input for better viewing experience
• RS-232C Input for control

The D65U AQUOS series provides a superior Full HD 1080p picture with outstanding performance, utilizing Sharp’s proprietary Advanced Super View (ASV) / Black TFT Panel with multi-pixel technology. The Spectral Contrast Engine UD (Ultra Dark) provides high Dynamic Contrast Ratio with enhanced black levels, and a pixel response time of 6 ms, providing stunning picture quality even on fast-moving action scenes. Viewing angles are an impressive 176 degrees, enabling the color reproduction to appear vivid from virtually anywhere in a room.

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52-Inch: Samsung 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Wow, I can't say anithing about this super big television. Everything is great, the picture is bright and very beautiful because of the frame rate are 120 frames per second (120Hz LCD panel) without repeating the same image to make more frames. The sound is ok.
details:

• Touch of Color Bezel
• Full HD 1080p Resolution
• 120Hz Auto Motion Plus
• 4 HDMI Inputs
• Super Clear Panel

Get innovative HD design and performance on a brilliant 52-inch LCD screen. The Samsung 52" LCD HDTV has superior picture quality with a unique bezel design. The Touch of Color accents the top and bottom edges of the bezel with a unique amber tone. Full 1080p HD resolution and 50,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio offer stunning image detail and vivid colors. Auto Motion Plus 120Hz and Ultra Clear Panel technology work together to offer the smoothest motion and boldest bright and dark tones. Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp - Provides colors in your picture that were not available before Fast 4ms response time minimizes blurring of moving video Widescreen NTSC/ATSC Tuners with Clear QAM Ultra clear panel enhances contrast and reduces reflection Viewing Angle.

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32-Inch: LG LCD HDTV

This LG has a great picture and average sound. LG 32LG70 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV details:

• LCD HDTV features an elegant & distinctive lower edge tear drop design with swivel stand
• 1080p Full HD resolution 1920 x 1080p with 4x HDMI v 1.3 digital inputs
• ISFccc caple of professional calibration for picture performance
• Invisible speaker system for richer more balanced sound & a polished look
• 15,000:1 Dynamic contrast ratio
• 4x HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color
• Intelligent Sensor
• 24p Real Cinema
• AV Mode (Cinema, Sports, Game)
• Clear Voice
• LG SimpLink Connectivity
• Invisible Speaker System
• USB 2.0 (JPEG, MP3)
• ISFccc

The picture quality on the LG is markedly inferior to that of the Samsung. The color range is narrower, the picture loses definition in the shadows and it seems grainy.

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Toshiba 15.6-Inch Widescreen LCD TV with Built-in DVD Player

Toshiba 15LV505 15.6-Inch Widescreen LCD TV with Built-in DVD Player (Black):

• 1366x768 resolution w/ 800:1 contrast
• 150/170 degree Viewing Angle
• WMA, MP3 and JPEG Playback
• High Gloss Bezel with Slim Chassis
• DIVX Playback

If you are looking for a small LCD TV, this is a nice product. If you have room for a 19", by all means I would go for the larger screen. Keep in mind that, even with the abundance of digital and high def signals out there today, many channels/programs will be broadcast in 4:3 format. Since this TV is a 16:9 profile screen, a 4:3 display will appear that much smaller on this 15.6" screen. However, if you have a tight space, like on a kitchen counter under cabinets, this TV is perfect. It included a built in DVD player, which is a nice perk. The picture is vivid and HD display on it is excellent. At this size there is absolutely no reason to go for 1080p. For a 15.6" screen, or even a 19", 720p is fine.

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Best Choice: Sharp DT-200 Home Theater TV Projector

These are another great projector for your home theater. Ideal for consumers who are new to home theater products, the Sharp DT-200 home theater projector is portable, compact, and loaded with high-quality features, chief among them being DLP technology from Texas Instruments. The unit weighs just over seven and a half pounds so you can easily move it from, say, the living room to the recreation room, as use requires. The DT-200 delivers brilliant clarity through its extremely high contrast ratio of 1,200:1 and high brightness of 600 ANSI Lumens.
feature:

• Portable HDTV-ready projector with SVGA (800 x 600) resolution and Texas
• Instruments Digital Light Processing technology
• High 1,200:1 contrast ratio, 600 ANSI Lumens brightness
• 2D keystone correction frees you to place the projector off-center from the screen or wall
• DVI input with HDCP, supports NTSC, PAL, SECAM, 480p, 720p, and 1080i formats
• Weighs less than 9 pounds, includes wireless remote control

A dedicated DVI input with HDCP (high-bandwidth digital content protection) grants compatibility with cutting-edge equipment such as HDTV set-top boxes, and a built-in line doubler enhances the quality from standard interlaced video signals (such as those from cable, VCRs, non-progressive-scanning DVD players, etc.). Freeing you to place the projector just about anywhere, 2D keystone correction minimizes picture distortion when the projector is not perfectly parallel to the screen or wall. The projector measures a mere 14.4 by 12.8 by 5.8 inches, so it will easily fit on a shelf, cabinet, or small table. Its included 1.2x, short-throw zoom lens (with lens shift) provides clarity and excellent depth of field--even in small rooms or outdoors--while the projector's whisper-quiet fan operation eliminates the possibility of distractions from fan noise during use.These are very smart choice for you.

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Greatest Projector

Toshiba TLP-MT2U LCD HDTV-Ready Home Theater Projector are the greatest projector for your home theater system or another think. The Toshiba TLP-MT2 Home Theater projector will turn your home into movie central, any day of the week for you and your friends. This compact unit can project 23" to 250" of bright, crisp screen display right in your own home! And with Toshiba's 2000 hours lamp, you can be sure the party won't end until you say so!
feature:

• Home theater projector accepts HDTV (720 p or 1,080 i) component-video signal
• Ultra-compact notebook-size
• Easily connected to a VCR, DVD player, or HDTV source
• Projection display size 23-250 inches (over 20 feet)
• Automatic keystone correction for versatile room placement

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Best Sellers: Sharp PG-B10S Mobile LCD Video

Sharp PG-B10S Mobile LCD Video Projector are the best sellers projector in amazon.com, With advanced features including variable lens shift, RGB monitor loop-through, high speed auto SYNC, and Image ACE resizing, the Notevision B10S is perfect for almost any application - including education, training, as well as use by the "mobile" presenter. And with its simplified control panel, intuitive GUI ("Graphic User Interface"), and color-coded terminal connections, a first time presenter can simply "Connect and Project!".

• 3x 0.55-inch TFT LCD projection technology
• 800 x 600 native resolution, 1,200 ANSI lumens, 350:1 contrast ratio
• Exclusive Image Alignment Control; NTSC, PAL, SECAM, HDTV signals
• 1-watt integrated speaker, remote control, carry case
• PC and Mac compatible; 3-year warranty

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